We're going to have to leave it there for today, folks. Apologies to those whose comments I haven't be able to respond to as yet, promise I'll attempt to do so over the next day or two. Thanks for dropping in everyone, plenty of good issues to discuss. And join us back here at 12pm next Monday.

First Melbourne rebuilt. Lately, coach Mark Neeld has talked about rebuilding the rebuild. After their pathetic start to 2013, what do the Demons do now, rebuild the rebuilding of a rebuild?

That's the sort of farce an entire football club threatens to become should the level of ineptitude Melbourne has exhibited on and off the field these past few years be allowed to continue much longer. READ MORE

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62 comments

If the Gold Coast or GWS had a result like this in years gone past would it make such headlines, I think not. Why should the AFL step in to assist them. Sure they have a long history and large supporter base but for the AFL to be a true national comp there will be times when a club such as Melbourne will be at the bottom of the rung.

Commenter

AMH

Location

QLD

Date and time

April 07, 2013, 8:49PM

Hi AMH, I think it's a bigger issue than what's happening right now. They've been unable to emerge not only on field but as a powerful club with a strong brand for the best part of 50 years. Don't think they can hope to now without the AFL by their side in terms of management and resources.

Commenter

Rohan Connolly

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 12:05PM

Richmond were branded "worse than Fitzroy" in Hardwicks first year as coach and still managed to win 6 games. Don't you think the Dees are capable of something similar? Throwing more draft picks at them and board intervention seems a bit drastic given how things can change for a team within the space of a few weeks.

Commenter

Elliot

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 12:04AM

Only if the next worst team has won at least 7

Commenter

Cambrian Party

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 8:54AM

Not sure the Richmond of 2010 were as bad as the Dees of 2013 - we never put in a performance as bad as the Dees on the weekend.

Richmond may have had our moments as an institutional basketcase, but we never had anyone accused of tanking, we never harvested priority picks the way Melbourne did. Richmond and Melbourne were paired down the bottom of the ladder for many years, but our rebuild has stuck, the Dees are going even further backwards. Obviously it is too early in the season to judge yet, but some form of bailout may be justified if they don't improve substantially by the end of the year.

Commenter

AlexED

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 11:56AM

Hi Elliot, I think this is a lot more than merely current on field performance. I think the biggest area in which the AFL could help is by running the marketing and promotion of the club, and helping establish and develop a readily identifiable geographic support base. Even the Demons' good periods on field the last 50 years have been against a backdrop of poor and divided administrations.

Commenter

Rohan Connolly

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 12:07PM

Why leave it at such doom and gloom? This was just a butchered rebuilding, it can happen. For instance the Dockers were brilliant at butchering rebuilding attempts, although they seem to have gotten on track. Although I don't think this matters for a second, the direct coincidence between the two is that Cameron Schwab was/is the man in charge.

Do you think that possibly you could leave Melbourne to sort itself out? Other clubs have, have they not? Think North Melbourne with Brayshaw or Carlton with Pratt.

Who has most recently made the finals out of Richmond and Melbourne?

Would the franchises substantially effect Melbourne's power in the past the past two drafts?

Is Melbourne's current plight proof the system is equal or unequal?

Why not shove Melbourne somewhere else? They did it to S. Melbourne. Why do you think the AFL is too spineless to do it in this age?

Commenter

Haris

Location

Perth

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 4:19AM

Hi Haris, Freo even in its darkest days on field still had considerable resources and support at its disposal. Some clubs are always going to be stronger than others, but the Demons don't have enough clout in terms of either support or culture. I think it's important that a foundation club of the competition has that, and that there is a team bearing this city's name.

Commenter

Rohan Connolly

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 12:12PM

While I'm not endorsing the coaching panel at Melbourne just yet, I found it amazing that Lynden Dunn's mother came out with that outburst in the media ,because Lynden Dunn is one of the players that have put this club in the position in the first place.He should have been traded or delisted 2 yrs ago.Most inconsistent player I've seen.David Rodan was washed up at Port,and couldn't get a game.Next thing he bobs up at Melbourne as one of the players that would lead the club out of the wilderness.!Time for this group of people in the coaching group to step up.Any chance of getting the players to play one on one,because your game plan isn't working at all.

Commenter

Billytea

Location

Ballarat

Date and time

April 08, 2013, 8:32AM

Hi Billytea, Was an interesting piece of radio talkback, not sure it did the club any favours, but says plenty about the level of disenchantment internally. The players seem to have lost confidence to perform even the most basic football fundamentals, so perhaps it is time to strip things back, even for a few weeks, and just go one-on-one.